Lauren’s Top 5 Books of 2021
I read 42 book this year! I am proud, because I initially set my goal for 36 (3 books a month). When I met this goal in early November, I did what any true type A woman does…I set my goal even higher! In addition, I also challenged myself to read books of greater variety this year. I could happily read historical fiction about WW2 or psychological/suspense books. every day. However, I wanted to push myself to read books of greater depth and offered a wider range of perspective. I didn’t delve too heavy (this School Psychologist needs a break from anything mentally taxing in my free time), but I certainly obtained the variety I was striving to get. By the end of the year, I was loving memoirs, and think this is a genre that I will keep exploring in 2022. Without further adieu, here are the top 5 books I read in 2021!
#5: It Ends with Us
Colleen Hoover is becoming one of my go-to authors due to her well-developed characters. It Ends With Us delves into the complexities of romantic relationships and creates characters who you become invested in. Spoiler: if physical abuse is a trigger for you, this is not your book. However, this book approaches the issue sensitively and with characters who are striving to break that cycle. This for me was 10/10.
#4: The Evening and the Morning
I LOVE historical fiction, and it doesn’t get any better than Ken Follett. The Evening and Morning is the prequel to his best-selling book, The Pillars of the Earth. Set in the Middle Ages, this tells the story of a small town in England following characters from the nobility to the working class. It highlights the difficulty of life during this unstable time and depicts the complexity of how church and state become so easily intertwined. The characters and plot are so richly developed that this 900+ page book just becomes easily devoured.
#3: The Invisible Life of Addie Larue
This book has received mixed reviews from friends that have read it, but I LOVED this book! Bear with me, because the plot is hard to describe. Addie grew up living in France during the 1700s. and is desperate to escape a conventional life for women of this time- marriage. She makes a pack with a god of night, who grants her escape with the exchange of her soul when she is done with living. The caveat of this exchange is that no one will remember her through time, and her existence will be hard and lonely. The book shifts between her life in 1700s France to living present day in New York, when she finally meets a young man who remembers her. Without giving more away, I consider this book so unique and refreshing…it’s a must read!
#2: The Girl with the Louding Voice
If you know me personally, I will most likely bring this book up in conversation, and then tell you that you MUST read it. It is that good! This book tells the story of a 14 year old girl, living in rural Nigeria. Set in 2014, young women living in remote villages are often married to much older men to help financially support their families. This story follows the miraculous journey of Adunni, who escapes her village in pursuit of an education and to find her louding voice. Gosh, I read this almost a year ago, and I still keep thinking about it!
#1: Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life
I struggled to pick a #1, because my top 2 were just phenomenal! However, Group edged itself out. Christie Tate so bravely wrote about her own experience seeking out group therapy during law school. As a recovering binge eater and with the mounting pressure of school, she realized she could use support around these stressors, as well as for developing healthy relationships. This book details her experiences and how her group work transformed her life. It is smart, honest, and raw. This is a MUST and earned itself the top pick on my list!
Some Honorable Mentions
Little Secrets
A Very Punchable Face
The Four Winds
The Last Thing He Told Me
The Scent Keeper
Thanks for following along and engaging with Closet Hook this year! I can’t wait to share more books and recommendations in 2022!
xoxo,
Lauren